The Emancipation Wars

White’s Response/ Punishment
On Tuesday August 19 th , the response and punishment that came after was severe. Real
resistance by the slaves was over in two weeks mostly because of their poor organization. After
Martial Law was declared, rebels were dispersed with great bloodshed. Hundreds of slaves were
killed, many executed and Negro houses were fired. There were fourteen (14) slaves who
received death sentence but had it commuted and were sold or deported. Implicated slaves were
sentenced to up to one thousand (1000) lashes, some sentenced to solitary confinement while
others would be in chains for life. At Doch Four, 10-15 slaves were killed. At Good Hope six (6)
slaves shot dead, while it was reportedly the same for Beehive plantation and Elizabeth Hall had
forty (40) slaves killed (106).
Jack Gladstone, Quamina’s son was believed to be
deported to St. Lucia while Quamina who many
considered as one of the leading characters of the
rebellion was tracked down with the help of dogs and
Indians and was shot and killed in Chateau Margot.
Widely believed to be on September 20. Quamina
was gibbeted at a roadside in front of Success estate.
On August 25 Governor Murray set up a court
martial for ring leader, those found guilty were shot
or hanged. Heads were cut off and nailed to posts.
An iron gibbet
Over two hundred (200) slaves were beheaded and their heads placed on stakes at the parade
grounds in Georgetown, Plaisance to Mahaica in east Demerara. Slaves who were not ring